


Best Kept Secret

by mylifeiskara



Category: Bridgerton (TV), Bridgerton Series - Julia Quinn
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Bridgertons Being Bridgertons, Colin Bridgerton Being an Idiot, Established Relationship, F/M, Family Shenanigans, Fluff, Secret Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-26
Updated: 2021-02-26
Packaged: 2021-03-16 21:15:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,975
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29706681
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mylifeiskara/pseuds/mylifeiskara
Summary: Colin and Penelope have been dating for a month and they're very happy together. They just haven't told anyone that they're dating yet. Probably because Colin's family is too nosy for their own good.
Relationships: Colin Bridgerton/Penelope Featherington
Comments: 35
Kudos: 189





	Best Kept Secret

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! So like many people I watched Bridgerton over the holidays and really enjoyed it. And recently I got this fic idea combining my love for Penelope and Colin and Bridgerton family shenanigans. 
> 
> This is my first fic for this fandom and I had a lot of fun writing it, so I hope you enjoy!

Penelope loves a lazy weekend morning. She doesn’t have to set her alarm or wake up and immediately check her email or worry about impending deadlines. She blinks her eyes open as she takes in her surroundings and frowns as she notices the weight in the bed next to her and an arm slung around her middle. She turns her head to find Colin, still sound asleep with his mouth hanging open. Penelope chuckles to herself, still not used to waking up next to someone in bed, even though it has been a month. He doesn’t normally stay over at her place, but she could get used to seeing him here in the mornings. She rolls back over, content to sleep in just a little bit longer before actually starting her day.

In the distance, the front door opens and shuts. Penelope frowns, but doesn’t open her eyes. She wasn’t expecting Eloise back from her girlfriend’s so soon.

“Penelope? Are you awake yet?” Eloise calls out.

At this, followed by the sound of footsteps in the direction of her room, Penelope’s eyes shoot open. She sits up, causing Colin to groan and shift in his sleep. Penelope slaps his arm, her heart threatening to beat out of her chest. She doesn’t want to get caught.

“Wake up, Eloise is back!” Penelope hisses.

Colin’s eyes go wide as he bolts upright.

“Pen?” Eloise calls again.

“Shit!” Colin whispers.

“Just get under the bed or something!” Penelope pulls the covers off of Colin and he rolls off the bed and crawls underneath. Penelope gets situated as though she’s just waking up right as there’s a knock at her door.

Eloise opens the door a crack and sticks her head in. “You’re not up yet?”

Penelope feigns a yawn and rubs at her eyes. “I thought I’d sleep in for a change. I didn’t expect you back so soon.”

Her roommate comes all the way into her room and flops down on the bed. “Lily had an early shift, and I didn’t feel like staying over there by myself. But I stopped on the way and bought coffee and breakfast!”

She smiles. “Sounds lovely. I’ll be out in a couple minutes.”

Eloise studies Penelope for a moment, as if she’s searching for something amiss. Penelope just smiles, hoping she only looks sleepy and not as flustered as she feels. She’s not sure how Eloise would have reacted to finding her older brother in Penelope’s bed, but luckily they wouldn’t have to find out today. She eventually stands up and exits the room, closing the door behind her.

Penelope lets out a breath as Colin pokes his head out from under the bed.

“Well I am not letting you convince me to stay over here again,” he mutters as he pulls himself up from the floor and begins to gather his things.

“I didn’t think she’d be back yet! How was I supposed to know Lily had an early shift?”

“Pen, I live alone! This wouldn’t have happened if you just stayed over at my place.”

“And explain to Eloise where I am? How is that any easier?”

Colin sits on the bed as he quickly laces his shoes. “I just think I’m getting a little old to be hiding under beds because someone isn’t supposed to find me in some girl’s room. Maybe when I was twenty, but not when I’m thirty!”

“Well you’re the thirty-year-old that didn’t want your family in your business!” Penelope reminds him.

When Colin kissed Penelope a little over a month ago, she almost had to pinch herself to make sure it wasn’t all a very convoluted dream. And then when it happened on a second occasion, she knew for sure she wasn’t dreaming. She was over the moon that Colin felt the same way, especially after years of getting her hopes up only to have them dashed every time Colin went away again. But now that he’s finally back in England for more than a month, Penelope is thrilled that Colin has acted on his feelings.

Of course, after Colin kissed Penelope the second time, she had to ask him what it meant. He told her he’d like to be serious with her, that he could picture a future with her. But he wanted to take things slowly. After years of dancing around their feelings, he didn’t want to mess it up. So in an effort to figure out their relationship, they decided not to tell anybody. It made sense at the time, seeing as the Bridgertons make absolutely everything their business. So far, their bubble has been absolutely fantastic. Colin is a better boyfriend than Penelope could’ve ever imagined, and she’s quite positive their month together has probably been one of the best of her life. The only downside is that it’s much harder to keep a secret from the entire Bridgerton clan in theory than it is in practice. Especially since Penelope happens to live with one.

Once Colin is fully dressed, Penelope opens her door slowly to ascertain where Eloise is. She sees that the door to the bathroom is closed and motions for Colin to make his way out. He tiptoes into the hall and quickly to the front door. Penelope follows after him.

“You’re coming to dinner later, then?” he asks.

“You know I am. Quit stalling, we don’t have time for this.”

He chuckles. “You’re so cute when you’re flustered.”

“Colin!” she hisses.

He shakes his head, pressing a quick kiss to her lips before opening the door and letting himself out. Penelope smiles to herself as she closes it behind him. She turns around and is startled out of her thoughts by Eloise staring at her, leaning against the wall.

“You’re very quiet. I didn’t even hear you come in,” Penelope remarks, coming to sit down at the kitchen table.

“What were you doing opening the door?” Eloise asks.

“I was looking for the paper.”

“I brought it in already when I came inside.”

Penelope nods. “Right. Right. Makes sense. The pastries look delicious!” She's quick to open the box and take one, hoping a full mouth will stop the conversation from taking an unpleasant turn.

Eloise studies Penelope with that same look again. She doesn’t let up as she picks a pastry from the box and begins to eat it.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” Penelope finally asks.

Eloise shrugs. “Nothing. There’s just something different about you lately. You seem happier somehow.”

“Am I not allowed to just be happy, Eloise?”

“I’m not saying you can’t be happy. I’m just saying you seem happier than usual.” After a moment she adds, “Probably because you’re dating someone in secret.”

She scoffs. “That’s ridiculous.”

“Is it? Because I’m pretty sure you were just shooing someone out of the flat.”

“No, I wasn’t!”

Eloise raises an eyebrow. “Pen, you’re not a very good liar.”

Penelope feels her face heat up as Eloise trains that inquisitive stare on her again. Her best friend is nothing if not persistent, and the last thing she wanted was for her to find out that she’s dating Colin this way.

“Are you mad?”

Eloise frowns. “Why on earth would I be mad?”

“For keeping a secret like this from you.”

“Pen, all I want is for you to be happy. And I'm sure you and your mystery person had your reasons.”

Penelope schools her frown, realizing that Eloise must not have realized the mystery person is Colin. Whether that’s a good or bad thing is yet to be seen.

“It’s not that I didn’t want to tell you. I like him a lot, I do. But have you ever felt like something is too good to be true, so you just want it to be your thing for a little while? That’s how this has felt. And I don’t think either of us wanted to mess things up before they really began. So we haven’t told anyone.”

“That makes sense,” Eloise decides. “Well whoever he is, I can’t wait to meet him.”

Penelope musters a smile, hoping it doesn’t look as incredibly pained as it feels. She takes a sip of her coffee.

“You might want to mention this to my mother, though. That woman is intent on setting you up,” Eloise adds.

Penelope chokes on her drink. “What?”

Her friend shrugs. “She’s worried you’re lonely. And apparently some friend’s sister’s nephew has a son around our age that she thinks would be just perfect for you.”

“I never knew Violet took such an interest in my love life.”

“You’re practically family. She just wants everyone to be happy. And you know Mama is incapable of _not_ meddling.”

“How long have you known she’s wanted to set me up?”

“For a couple of days. But I haven’t really seen you. At least now you have a heads up before dinner tonight. I’m sure it’d be awkward for your boyfriend were he to find out my mother wanted to set you up with another man.”

Penelope chuckles awkwardly. Dinner. The very same dinner where her boyfriend will also be in attendance. What could possibly go wrong?

With Eloise finally turning her attention to the newspaper, Penelope pulls out her phone and fires off a quick text to Colin:

_So according to Eloise, your mother is trying to set me up???_

She locks her phone, not bothering to wait for a response, since she knows Colin went to go meet Anthony and Benedict. Instead she focuses on her breakfast, hoping that she doesn’t look as suspicious as she feels. When she and Colin first decided to date in secret, it made sense. She knew it would be much more difficult to date Colin with outside pressure from his large and at times overbearing family. And it’s been lovely to have him all to herself, if only for a little while as they figure out what this is between them. But now she feels secure in what they have and would be happy for this not to be a secret anymore. She’s just not sure how Colin feels about all that.

**_____________________**

Colin Bridgerton is not an idiot. He knows his family, and he knows that his wanting to keep things between him and Penelope a secret until they figure it out for themselves is not an over exaggeration. Sure, they’d all be happy for him. But then they would know and be completely in his business. He doesn’t need all the added pressure, especially after he told his mother he was thinking of settling down.

All throughout his twenties, Colin talked a big game of never settling down. Now that he’s back in England for the foreseeable future he mentioned to Anthony and Benedict that he might be feeling differently, which of course got back to his mother. Violet was almost ready to set him up with the daughter of one of her friends after she heard that news, but he quickly said he’d be fine on his own. He didn’t think he was looking for anything serious immediately.

Things with Penelope have certainly changed that. Sure it took him a stupid amount of time to figure it out, but the past month with her has been absolute bliss. He knows he wants to be serious with Penelope, and Penelope knows that. But Colin also knows that he doesn’t want to mess up the best thing that’s ever happened to him. It’s all so new to him, this relationship thing, and it’s been nice to be in their little bubble as they figure it all out together. It’s honestly a wonder nobody has figured it out yet. There have been a few close calls, with Benedict showing up to Colin’s flat unannounced and just this morning with Eloise arriving back home earlier than expected. But that’s exactly what Colin is trying to avoid. The Bridgertons are lovely, and Colin loves his family dearly, but they have a habit of making everything their business. And just this once he wants his relationship to be just his and Penelope’s business.

Once Penelope shoos Colin out of her flat, he checks his phone. He doesn’t have time to go home and change before getting brunch with his brothers. It’s somewhat unfortunate, but he doubts they’ll say anything. Neither of them saw him yesterday so it shouldn’t be too big a deal.

Colin gets brunch with his older brothers twice a month when he’s home. Of course they see each other besides then, but now that Anthony is married, he has his own family obligations to attend to, and can’t get away as easily as before.

He’s a bit late arriving to the restaurant, and Anthony and Benedict are already at a table waiting for him.

“It’s so unlike you to be late to a meal,” Anthony remarks.

“We had half a mind to call up Gregory and have him replace you,” Benedict jokes.

He sits down. “Hey! I just overslept, is all. And I’m way more fun than Gregory, he’s all moody and teenagery and mean.”

Anthony looks over Colin’s outfit. “At least Gregory knows how to properly dress. Why are your clothes so rumpled? Do you not own an iron?”

“Huh?” Colin looks down to see that in his rush to get dressed as he left Penelope’s, he probably could have done a better job of making himself presentable. It looks like he picked his outfit up from the floor, which is exactly what he did. But he didn’t think anyone would be able to tell that.

“Were you with someone last night?” Benedict asks, a knowing smirk on his face.

Colin chuckles. “I—”

“What happened to what you told Mother about settling down?” Anthony asks.

“I mean, I do want to settle down, but that doesn’t mean I have to start right away.” Colin fidgets in his seat. It feels odd to not be able to talk to his brothers about Penelope. He talks to them about most everything, and keeping the secret lately has certainly been weighing on him.

Benedict nods. “Fair enough.”

The subject changes quickly as they order and Anthony goes into great detail about the improvements he and Kate are making to their new house. Colin nods, his attention shifting in and out. He tries his best to listen, but he lets his mind wander to the distant future, looking for a house with Penelope or deciding where they’d like to travel next. Anthony seems at his happiest with Kate, and Colin is happy for his eldest brother. He’s certainly been less grumpy lately. But sitting and listening to his brothers talk about their significant others makes it all the more difficult for him to hold his tongue when he would much rather share a story about Penelope.

Benedict is discussing an upcoming weekend trip he’s planning to take with his boyfriend as their food arrives. Colin digs in immediately, practically starving. He thinks how different the morning could have been if Eloise had actually known he and Penelope are together. She would’ve brought home three cups of coffee and a pastry for him that he could eat on his way to meet his brothers. So he would’ve gotten a nice snack along with breakfast. But at least he’s eating now. The only thing that stops him is his phone vibrating with a text. It’s from Penelope. He remembers to school his expression and opens it as though it were just any old text.

_So according to Eloise, your mother is trying to set me up???_

Colin frowns. That wasn’t at all the text he would expect from his girlfriend. And since when had his mother taken a vested interest in Penelope’s love life? Sure, she’s been a great family friend for years, but why now? Why this moment?

“Colin?” Benedict asks, forcing Colin to look up from his phone. “Something the matter?”

He shakes his head. “Nothing, really.” After a moment he opens his mouth again, not ready to let this go. “Only, did you know Mother is trying to set Penelope up?”

“I think Eloise might have mentioned something about it yesterday.”

“Why do you care?” Anthony questions.

Colin scoffs and takes great care to stare down at his plate. “I mean, Pen is my friend. I want what’s best for her.”

“As do we all.”

“Well who even is this guy? Has he been properly vetted?”

Anthony frowns. “Properly vetted? What is this, a date or a job with MI6?”

Benedict narrows his eyes. “I think his name’s Rupert or something?”

“No, no. I thought it was Arthur. He works at a bank,” Anthony says.

Colin laughs. “A banker! Pen would never go for a banker.”

“How can you be so sure? He might be a charming person,” Benedict says with a shrug.

“That just doesn’t seem like Penelope’s type at all.”

“And are you well-versed in her type, then Colin?”

“I wouldn’t say that, no. But he just doesn’t seem like someone that Penelope would go for. That’s all.”

Anthony smirks. “Well, we’ll find out soon enough. I know Mother planned to ask if she wanted to be set up at dinner.”

Colin’s stomach drops. “At dinner? Tonight?”

“Yup. She seemed absolutely determined last I spoke to her. Said it’s a shame the poor girl is always alone.”

Colin huffs under his breath and goes back to his eggs. Penelope isn’t alone. In fact, he’s pretty sure that she’s extremely happy. He’s feeling an odd mix of emotions. Pride that they’ve been so good about sneaking around that nobody realizes they’re together, mixed with anger that his own mother trying to set his girlfriend up has single handedly ruined a meal he was greatly looking forward to. He’s not sure what to do, but he sends her a quick reply.

_Anthony and Benedict just told me._

_All you have to do is politely decline._

_Do you think this is a sign that we should just tell them?_

Colin sighs. She might have a point. It’s been a month, and nothing has gone amiss yet. Wouldn’t that have already happened if it were going to?

_Let’s at least let this evening pass and I’ll talk to my mother soon._

_If you’re going to talk to her soon, why not just do it tonight?_

_I don’t want to make a scene with everyone there._

“Colin, is everything alright?” Anthony asks.

Colin looks up from his phone to find both of his brothers staring at him with mild concern etched across their faces. He smiles and pockets his phone before going back to his meal.

“Everything’s fine. Just peachy.” He takes a sip of his coffee, hoping that gets his brothers off his back. Everything is most definitely not fine, but he’s already acted weird enough in the time that they’ve been sitting here.

Once the bill is paid, Colin says goodbye to his brothers and heads back to his flat. He checks his phone on the way to see Penelope’s response to his last message:

_Ok._

He frowns. Colin isn’t one to read into text messages, but this one doesn’t seem like the best sign. Penelope usually sends more than just “ok”. He knows it’ll be much easier to just ask her about it at dinner. These sorts of things are always easier to make sense of in person. For now he focuses on the best way to stop his family from trying to get Penelope a date that isn’t him without rousing too much suspicion. Or at least, not more suspicion than he’s already aroused with his brothers. He just hopes they can make it through this dinner unscathed.

**_______________________**

Dinner with the Bridgertons is nothing if not eventful. There’s far too many of them for it not to be. But usually they’re eventful in some fun way. Tonight there’s a pit in Penelope’s stomach as she and Eloise make their way up the front steps of Eloise’s childhood home.

Penelope rings her hands together and bounces up and down on her toes a few times as Eloise rummages through her bag for her keys. She stops before she puts it into the lock, frowning at Penelope.

“Well don’t look as if you’re about to march to your death,” Eloise says. “Mama may want to set you up, but that doesn’t mean you have to say yes.”

“I know that!” Penelope groans.

“You’re not even supposed to know, so act surprised when she brings it up.” She finally puts the key in the lock and pushes into the house.

Almost immediately, they’re descended upon by Eloise’s younger siblings. Gregory and Hyacinth quickly greet Penelope, before pulling their sister into the kitchen to help them settle an argument. Penelope smiles and takes a breath and goes to close the door.

“Coming in!” comes a voice from the other side. She opens it again to find Colin behind it. “Oh hello, Pen.”

“Hi,” she says quietly. Usually she’d be a bit more enthusiastic to see her boyfriend, but tonight she’s not completely sure she’s happy to see him.

“I’m glad I’ve caught you while everyone is preoccupied,” Colin murmurs. “I think the best course of action might be for me to just come back another day and explain everything to Mother.”

“I know, Colin. That’s what you said in your text.”

He frowns. “You’re upset.”

She huffs. “I just don’t see what difference it’s going to make, us telling your mother tonight, versus you telling her at another unspecified time. Why not just save me the trouble of her trying to set me up with some random guy?”

“He’s a banker, apparently,” Colin grumbles.

“What’s that got to do with anything? I don’t want to date him!”

“Hey, listen.” Colin takes her hands in his. “I want to tell my family about you. I don’t want you to think I’m ashamed or anything, because I’m not. Frankly, I’m ready to burst that I can’t talk about you.”

Penelope pulls her hands away from Colin, crossing her arms to her chest. “Then why don’t you want to say anything?”

“I just know how my mother is going to react, especially because I’ve mentioned that I’m looking to settle down soon.”

“Are you saying you don’t want to settle down with me, then?” Her heart drops in her stomach. She’s not sure she can handle this tonight.

Colin slaps a hand to his face, clearly frustrated as well. “No, that’s not what I’m saying at all! I would love to settle down with you. Frankly, you’re the first person I’ve ever been able to picture settling down with. But my mother knowing about us is going to change everything, and I’m not sure if I’m ready for all of that tonight.”

“If you’re not ready for it tonight, what makes you so sure you’ll be ready anytime soon? Our little bubble was nice to begin with, I’ll admit, but I’m tired of being a secret, Colin! I just want to be able to talk about you and not have to pretend that I’m not the happiest I’ve ever been. Eloise thinks I’m dating some complete stranger and she’s my best friend! I know your family is nuts, but I don’t care. I’ve known you all my life and I’m used to them. At this point it just feels like you’re making excuses, and hollow ones, at that!”

“Oh, do we have conversations right in doorways now?” comes Anthony’s voice from the outside steps. He and Kate are standing on the stairs, Anthony with an eyebrow raised and Kate suppressing a smile.

Penelope smiles at them. “Not anymore.” She turns and heads into the kitchen, not sparing Colin another glance. She’s far too frustrated at the moment to continue any sort of civil conversation.

“Penelope, how lovely to see you!” Violet says as she pulls a bottle of wine out of the fridge. “Can I get you anything?”

“A glass of wine would be lovely, thank you, Violet,” she answers, doing her best to plaster a smile on her face. She gratefully accepts the wine once Violet pours it and takes a lengthy sip. If she’s going to get through this night, she’ll probably need some more alcohol.

As Bridgertons continue to arrive, Penelope keeps her distance from Colin. She makes polite conversation with Daphne and Simon, trying her hardest to ignore the stare she’s receiving from her boyfriend as he stands across the room talking with Benedict and Francesca. She almost wills the evening to be over. She’s not having fun like she normally does at these gatherings, probably because there’s a massive cloud hanging over her that consists of her getting in a fight with Colin and the impending dread she feels when she inevitably sits down to dinner and Violet asks her if she’s single.

Eventually everyone is called to dinner. Of course, Violet insists that Penelope sit next to her. Eloise is on her other side, but somehow that doesn’t bring as much comfort as it should. Benedict sits across from Penelope on his mother’s other side, with Colin next to him. He keeps trying to make eye contact with her, but she continues looking everywhere but at him. Perhaps it’s a childish reaction, but Colin’s acting pretty childish as well, so it feels warranted.

“How are things with you, Penelope?” Violet asks as she puts some salad onto her plate.

“They’re alright. Fairly normal. I’m mostly just trying to keep up with my different writing deadlines,” she answers.

Violet nods politely. “Ah yes, of course. And how are you and Eloise getting on at your flat?”

Penelope frowns. She and Eloise have been living together for over a year. There’s hardly anything new about living with her to share.

“It’s the same as always, Mama,” Eloise chimes in.

“I’m sure it’s at least a little different, dear. Now that you have a girlfriend.”

Eloise contemplates this as she chews. “I guess I’m not around as much anymore. But I’m not sure that Penelope minds. Do you, Pen?”

“Oh, I enjoy the quiet,” Penelope says.

“It doesn’t ever get lonely?” Violet asks, a sympathetic smile on her face.

Penelope surreptitiously eyes Colin across the table. His grip on his fork tightens at his mother’s question. Clearly they both know what’s coming.

“I wouldn’t say I’m _that_ lonely,” she answers, giving Violet a polite smile.

“There’s no shame in admitting if you are. I might even have a remedy, if you’d like.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, a friend of mine has a son who is about your age who’s also single. Perhaps you two would like to spend some time getting to know each other?”

Penelope lets out a nervous chuckle. “Oh, that’s so kind of you to think of me Violet. But I’m not all that interested in dating right about now.”

“Not even just dinner? I’ve been assured he’s a charming conversationalist.”

“She said no, Mother,” Colin says firmly.

Everyone at their end of the table turns to look at Colin in confusion. Penelope is equal parts stunned and upset that he has anything to say at all.

Violet frowns at her son. “Colin, the last time I checked you are not Penelope.”

“Well she already told you no. I’d say that’s a pretty clear answer.”

“No decisions are being made right this minute.” She turns back to Penelope. “I’ll at least give you his phone number before you go in case you change your mind.”

“You really don’t have to. I’m honestly happy with the way things are,” Penelope says.

“See that!” Colin remarks. “She said no again.”

“Geez Colin, what’s got your knickers in a twist today?” Eloise chuckles.

Penelope glares at him from across the table. “Yes, why _do_ you seem so invested, Colin?”

Colin scoffs. “I mean, you’re practically family, Pen. Has this guy been properly vetted?”

Benedict frowns. “You’re on about this again. Since when are you so invested in who Penelope spends time with?”

“Because she’s supposed to be spending time with me!” he shouts.

“What are you talking about?” Violet asks.

Colin throws his napkin onto the table and stands up to address the group. “Everyone. I have an announcement to make!”

The entire table quiets and turns their attention to Colin. Penelope is frozen in disbelief that this is occurring at all.

“Penelope and I are dating. We’ve been dating for a little over a month now. I am her boyfriend. So I’d appreciate it if you’d all stop trying to set my girlfriend up with bankers called Rupert or Arthur or whatever the fuck!”

Everyone sits in silence for a moment staring between the two of them. Penelope waits for the inevitable uproar at this revelation, but oddly enough it never comes.

After a moment, Eloise pulls out her phone and reads off a note. “Alright, so Anthony, it looks like you win for saying that Colin would break first, and extra points for Kate adding that he’d make a dramatic announcement to the entire group.”

Penelope frowns and looks from her friend to Anthony at the other end of the table as he high fives his wife. What’s going on?

“I’m sorry, what?” Colin asks, wearing an expression that looks as flabbergasted as Penelope feels.

Eloise ignores him and continues reading from her phone. “Benedict and Daphne both get points for guessing how long they’ve been together, and Francesca you get points for being the closest on _when_ one of them would break.”

“Wait a second. You all _knew_?” Colin asks.

“Well, you two aren’t exactly subtle,” Eloise says as she puts her phone away.

“How long have you known?” Penelope asks.

“I think we all figured it out at different times,” Benedict says. “But I’d say you two having a candlelit dinner when I barged into Colin’s flat that time was a pretty dead giveaway.”

Penelope’s face reddens as she remembers that incident when Benedict showed up a week ago. She’d hastily blown out the candles and put them in the kitchen, but the scene probably still didn’t look all that platonic.

“And I figured it out when I came home a few weeks ago and you were both acting like you weren’t about to hook up on the couch before I walked in. Also, to be very clear, please don’t hook up in our common areas,” Eloise adds hastily.

“So you all knew, and you had a bet going?” Colin turns to Daphne at the other end of the table. “Even you, Daphne?”

Daphne laughs. “Please, I’d be a sucker not to take that bet.”

Penelope turns to Violet, who’s been awfully quiet since Colin spilled the beans.

“There never was a guy you were trying to set me up with, was there?” she asks.

Violet smiles and shakes her head. “No, there was not.”

Colin gasps. “Mother!”

“Oh, Colin, don’t be so dramatic. We couldn’t understand why you wouldn’t just tell us the two of you were together, so we thought we should get creative to see if you’d crack. You had to have known we’d be happy for you!”

Penelope can’t help but laugh at the situation. Colin looks at her, a frown set on his face.

“What’s so funny?” he asks.

“I just don’t know why I didn’t expect something like this from you all to begin with.”

“Well, we have to keep you on your toes,” Benedict says. “We figured you were getting a bit too used to us, especially now that you and Colin are finally together.”

“It was only a matter of time, darling,” Violet says, resting a hand on top of Penelope’s. “But you both seem very happy, and that’s all I care about.”

After that, dinner continues as if nothing had happened, except warmth floods through Penelope’s chest. She’s always felt like a part of the family, but now that her relationship with Colin is out in the open and nobody made a big deal about it, she feels like she can finally relax. Daphne suggests that the five eldest siblings have a get together with their significant others, which Anthony and Kate shut down before the idea is fully out of her mouth. Daphne then declares that she’s at least inviting Penelope and Colin over for dinner, which of course Colin is quick to accept.

The evening winds down and Penelope finds herself in the living room, listening as Francesca plays a piece on the piano. She makes conversation with Kate and Anthony who are sitting on the couch next to her, until she feels a hand rest on her shoulder. She looks up to find Colin staring down at her, a small smile on his face.

“Hi,” she says, smiling up at him.

“Hey,” he answers. “Can we go talk?”

Penelope nods and takes his outstretched hand as he leads her out into the hallway. It’s nice to be able to just casually hold hands now that they know everyone knew about them in the first place.

Once they’re alone, Colin takes a deep breath before speaking. “So, I’m an idiot.”

Penelope chuckles. “Mmm, maybe just a little bit.”

“When I suggested that we not tell anyone at first, it didn’t have anything to do with me wanting to hide you. Honestly, I was scared that I would do something to fuck it up, and I wanted to get things right with you, because you’re so important to me, Pen. And at breakfast today when Anthony was talking about Kate, and Benedict was talking about James, all I wanted to do was gush about how happy I am with you, and it honestly killed me a little bit that I couldn’t. All because of a stupid rule that I made up. So I’m sorry if I caused you to feel like I didn’t want people to know.”

“I guess it doesn’t make much of a difference now, since they all knew anyway.”

Colin moves a hand to stroke her cheek. “But it still matters how you’re feeling. And I don’t want you to ever feel like I don’t want people to know about you. Frankly, the next time I hang out with my brothers I’ll probably talk about you until I’m blue in the face and they’ll have to kill me to shut me up.”

Penelope laughs. “Well I think I’d prefer if you were alive. But thank you for saying that.”

He leans in with a conspiratorial smirk on his face. “But now that everyone knows, I can do things like this.”

He kisses her, and Penelope smiles into it. At this point, kissing Colin is nothing new, but that doesn’t mean that it doesn’t send her head into a spin still. She hopes that feeling never goes away with him. Thankfully, she’s not in any danger of that happening anytime soon.

“Ugh, gross, get a room!” Hyacinth groans.

Colin chuckles as he pulls away to shout at his little sister. “Is this what we have to look forward to now?”

Hyacinth shrugs as she makes her way up the stairs. “I do it to everyone, did you think you’d be exempt?”

He turns back to Penelope. “This is our lot now, I suppose.”

She smiles up at him. “It sounds absolutely perfect.”

Penelope can’t remember the last time a Bridgerton family dinner was so eventful, but she has to say this one is her favorite to date. They’ve always been quick to count her as part of the family, and so being with Colin is just the icing on top of the cake. The Bridgertons are a chaotic group, and though they can be overwhelming at times, Penelope is glad that she gets to be a part of the madness.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you guys enjoyed! Let me know what you think.
> 
> There's kind of potential from this to write another little fic in this universe where the Bridgertons figure out that Colin and Penelope are dating and plan their little dinner shenanigans. If that's something you want to see me write, definitely let me know! No promises as to when, but I think it would be fun.
> 
> All of my socials are currently still very geared towards The 100, since I'm still writing for that fandom, but the casting news for Kate got me very excited so I want to get more into this show and I would love for more Bridgerton people to talk to! So come find me on [Tumblr](https://queenemori.tumblr.com/) and [Twitter](https://twitter.com/queen_emori).


End file.
